Conectar
by Chi Su, Yilong Hua, Yi Liu, Shu Tao, Fei Jia, Wenhui Zhao, Wangyang Lin
Mining wastewater with heavy metals poses a serious threat to the ecological environment. However, the acute single and combined ecological effects of heavy metals, such as chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni), on freshwater ostracods, and the development of relevant prediction models, remain poorly understood. In this study, Heterocypris sp. was chosen to investigate the single and combined acute toxicity of Cr and Ni. Then, the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model was used to predict the combined toxicity of Cr and Ni. The single acute toxicity experiments revealed high toxicity for both Cr and Ni. In addition, Cr exhibited greater toxicity compared to Ni, as evidenced by its lower 96-hour half-lethal concentration (LC50) of 1.07 mg/L compared to 4.7 mg/L for Ni. Furthermore, the combined acute toxicity experiments showed that the toxicity of Cr-Ni was higher than Ni but lower than Cr. Compared with the concentration addition (CA) and independent action (IA) models, the predicted results of the QSAR model were more consistent with the experimental results for the Cr-Ni combined acute toxicity. So, the high accuracy of QSAR model identified its feasibility to predict the toxicity of heavy metal pollutants in mining wastewater.by Yi Li, Hongyu Gao, Jinghui Zhao, Liqing Ma, Dan Hu
ObjectiveBempedoic acid, an innovative oral medication, has garnered significant interest in recent times due to its potential as a therapeutic intervention for hypercholesterolemia. Nonetheless, the outcomes of the initial investigations might have been more definitive and coherent. Our objective was to perform a quantitative meta-analysis in order to evaluate bempedoic acid’s safety and effectiveness.
MethodsA search was conducted on ClinicalTrials.gov, and PubMed from the time of inception until September 28, 2023. Randomized controlled trials comparing the safety and efficacy of bempedoic acid among patients with statin intolerance and those without were included in our analysis. The trial outcomes were summarized using a random effects model and were provided as mean differences or odds ratios (ORs) with a confidence interval of 95%. Additionally, trial heterogeneity and the possibility of bias were evaluated and investigated.
ResultsBempedoic acid treatment reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels more than placebo (mean difference -2.97%, 95% CI -5.89% to -0.05%), according to a pooled analysis of 16 eligible trials. The risk of death (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.98) and muscle-associated occurrences (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.31) was not impacted by bempedoic acid. In contrast, discontinuation of treatment was more frequently caused by adverse events in the bempedoic acid group (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.27).
ConclusionsIn patients with statin intolerance as well as those without, bempedoic acid is a safe and efficacious lipid-lowering agent, according to findings from randomized controlled trials.
Facial soft tissue injuries, often resulting in scarring, pose a challenge in reconstructive and aesthetic surgery due to the need for functional and aesthetic restoration. This study evaluates the efficacy of recombinant human growth factors (rhGFs) in scar remodelling for such injuries. A retrospective evaluation was conducted from January 2020 to January 2023, involving 100 patients with facial soft tissue injuries. Participants were divided equally into a control group, receiving standard cosmetic surgical repair, and an observation group, treated with rhGFs supplemented cosmetic surgery. The study assessed scar characteristics (pigmentation, pliability, vascularity, height), hospital stay duration, tissue healing time, complication rates and patient satisfaction. The observation group demonstrated significant improvements in all scar characteristics, with notably better pigmentation, pliability, vascularity and height compared with the control group. The rhGF treatment also resulted in reduced hospital stay duration and faster tissue healing. Notably, the total complication rate was significantly lower in the observation group (10%) compared with the control group (34%). Additionally, patient satisfaction levels were higher in the observation group, with 98% combined satisfaction compared with 76% in the control group. The application of rhGFs in treating facial soft tissue injuries significantly enhances scar remodelling, expedites healing, reduces complications and improves patient satisfaction. These findings establish rhGFs as a valuable tool in the management of facial soft tissue injuries, highlighting their potential in improving both functional and aesthetic outcomes.
by Hui Zhao, Guikun Yu, Xian Cheng
Renewable hydrogen energy has received growing attention due to the energy shortage and increasing CO2 emissions. With these issues in mind, renewable hydrogen has become an important component of future energy systems in many countries, especially in the transportation sector. However, the shortage of hydrogenation station and the risks associated with their construction have become an urgent issue for the development of hydrogen energy transportation. To better implement the hydrogenation station project, a risk management framework is proposed for risk control. First, a comprehensive risk index system is developed, using a weighting method based on the G1 method and the C-OWA operator. Second, a grey fuzzy synthetic assessment method is applied to evaluate the risk based on the 3D risk assessment framework. Finally, risk is assigned to different participants and actionable measures are proposed. This paper summarizes the obstacles to the development of hydrogen energy transportation, highlights the potential of hydrogen energy development, and suggests workable solutions for the use of hydrogen energy in the future transportation industry.Diabetic foot ulcers are the prevalent complication of diabetes mellitus, frequently culminating in arteriosclerosis of the lower extremities and consequent development of chronic wounds. The effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) as therapeutic intervention for promoting wound healing in this particular group of patients has been comprehensively assessed in this study. A randomized controlled trial involving 380 early diabetic patients with arteriosclerotic lesions of the lower limbs was conducted. Standard wound care plus EA was administered to the treatment group, while standard wound care alone was administered to the control group. The principal outcome assessed was the reduction in lesion size following the 8-week treatment period. Pain scores, recuperation time, and quality of life (QoL) evaluations constituted secondary outcomes. In comparison to the control group, the treatment group exhibited a significantly greater reduction in wound size (p < 0.05). The treatment group exhibited significantly reduced pain scores and significantly higher QoL scores (p < 0.05). The duration of recovery did not vary substantially among the groups (p > 0.05). Electroacupuncture thus appeared to be an effective adjunctive treatment for early diabetic patients with lower limb arteriosclerotic lesions, promoting pain relief and quality of life. Additional investigation is necessary to validate these results and delve into the underlying mechanisms of action.
The effect of obesity on wound-related outcomes in post-ovarian cancer patients is not clear. A number of studies on the association of fat with post-operation injury in ovarian carcinoma have produced contradictory findings. This study aims to conduct a study of the available data to assess the association of obese individuals with significant surgery results in ovarian cancer. We looked up Cochrane Library, Embase, and PubMed for qualifying research on ovarian cancer operations to determine the primary evidence for evaluating the association of obesity with post-surgical wound injury in ovarian cancer. The odds ratio (OR) was analysed with a fixed effect model if the variability of the study was small; otherwise, the analysis of the data was done with a random effect model. Out of 1259 related trials which were reviewed for eligibility, 6 publications were chosen from 2009 to 2019, 3076 patients who had had an operation for ovarian cancer. Obesity has been linked to an increased rate of wound-related complications in ovarian cancer operations compared to those without obesity (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.37, 0.69 p < 0.0001). Non-obesity was significantly less likely to occur with respect to operation time compared to those with obesity (MD, −48.00; 95% CI, −55.33, −40.68 p < 0.00001). There were no statistically significant differences in the rate of haemorrhage after the operation (OR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.04, 1.57, p = 0.14). Because of the limited number of trials in this meta-analysis, caution should be exercised in their treatment. More high-quality research with a large sample is required in order to confirm the findings.
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